BDP heads for hostile, combative Gaborone Regional Congress
Members contest decision by regional committee to waive primary elections for sitting MPs
Tempers are expected to be high on Sunday during the Botswana Democratic Party ( BDP) Gaborone Regional Congress, which is expected to address among others, candidacy of those that expressed interest to contest the anticipated Bulela Ditswe.
The BDP Central Committee is currently carrying out a vetting process for candidates for both council and parliamentary seats. Once the process is complete the party will issue a writ for elections.
Sources have revealed that the contention raised by members of the region, which has five constituencies, is over the decision taken by the regional committee requesting that sitting Members of Parliament should not undergo primary elections.
The only constituency which the region wants to go through primaries is Gaborone North where the current sitting MP, Mpho Balopi will not be contesting.
According to the regional committee, the atmosphere in the region is volatile. This is said to have stirred tension as those supporting candidates challenging sitting MPs believe that this is a strategy by the region to protect the MPs. Early this week, Branches and Wards were busy selecting delegates that will attend the congress.
Supporters of those who wish to challenge incumbents would not barge on conditions that their candidates also deserve a chance as per the democratic ideals of the BDP to contest.
The re are fear s that the region might emerge out of the congress more divided.
The tension within the region has been ongoing post 2019 general election which also saw the emergence of a faction mostly made up of councillors that styled themselves, Janja Weed. This is the faction that pushed for the removal of both Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Gaborone.
These faction al wars also resulted in the suspension of registration of new members of the party and registration books being taken for auditing. The Regional Committee has written a letter to President Mokgweetsi Masisi to register its concerns and recommendations.
According to the committee, the state of the region as they go into the primary elections is very volatile and needs due care and a winning strategy to successfully retain Gaborone Region.
For this to happen the committee says that “Gaborone North Constituency should go for primary elections because Balopi is not contesting for elections.
“That Gaborone Central, Gaborone South, Gaborone Bonnington South and Gaborone Bonnington North Constituencies Parliamentary primaries be waived and not go for primary elections.”
The committee argues that there has not been any special dispensation for mass registration in Gaborone and given the time remaining to go to primaries, it may not be feasible to efficiently register members, issue membership cards and be ready for the primaries.